Getting the Name Right

When you enter a name as a contact in Microsoft Outlook 2003, Outlook both enters the name as typed, and parses it in the File As field to put the last name first. But the parsing doesn't always work right. Enter a name like Louis de Bruijn, and it turns up in the File As field as Bruijn, Louis de, when it should be de Bruijn, Louis. Is there any way around this problem?

Jennifer Weers

Even when you click on the Full Name button and explicitly enter de Bruijn as the last name, Outlook doesn't get it right. There are two ways to deal with this. One choice is to set Outlook to enter the name in the File As field as First Name Last Name, which sidesteps the problem entirely. The other is to fix the entry manually.

To set Outlook to use First Name Last Name in the File As field, choose Tools | Options, then the Preferences tab. Under Contacts, choose the Contact Options button and, for the Default "File As" order, choose First Last, then OK. Outlook will file all future entries without trying to parse them. This won't, however, affect any entries you already have.

To fix the entry manually, create a new contact record and enter the name in the Full Name field. Move to the File As field, fix the entry as needed, and then close and save the record. Outlook will accept and store your change.

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